There has been a significant increase in the number of shootings in the 114th Precinct this year, despite the overall crime rate for the Astoria precinct remaining low.

The NYPD reports that that 10 people have been shot in the precinct for the year through June 17, up from two for the same period a year ago.

“Most of our shootings are taking place on housing developments,” said Deputy Inspector Osvaldo Nunez at the 114th Community Precinct Meeting on Tuesday. “We have taken 3 shootings in the last four to six weeks on housing property. Shootings on housing developments continue to be a problem.”

The precinct covers several public housing developments—such as Queensbridge Houses, Ravenswood Houses as well as Astoria Houses and Woodside Houses.

114th Precinct boundaries (Astoria and Roosevelt Island)

This year, there have also been several high-profile shootings at or near these locations. In March, Sharef Graham, 25, was shot dead in a walkway by Queensbridge Houses and in January a 28-year-old woman was hit by a stray bullet in Queensbridge. She survived.

“Most of the shootings take place in Queensbridge and Ravenswood,” Nunez said. He said the NYPD is monitoring a number of crews—which consist of between 15 to 30 members—in the housing developments.

He said that there are five known crews in Queensbridge, four in Ravenswood, two in Astoria Houses and one in Woodside Houses. A small dispute between a crew can result in a shooting.

Nunez said the NYPD is working to reduce the violence—although he didn’t go into any detail as to how.

JVB is supporting “immigrants escaping from gangs, domestic violence, lack of job opportunities and poverty”. Guess he doesn’t see or acknowledge what is happening in Queensbridge, Ravenswood and in the Bronx! NONE of that STUFF going on in his stomping grounds. Where are the photo ops??? Better in front of Saint Sebastian’s Church.

The NYC Ferry system is set to undergo a significant expansion in coming months, with the Astoria route, connecting the western Queens neighborhood to Wall Street, getting a new stop at the Brooklyn Navy Yard this spring.

A 24-year-old Brooklyn man who crashed his car on the BQE in 2017 and left a 25-year-old Astoria woman inside his burning vehicle to die was sentenced yesterday to four to 12 years in prison, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office.